The Bears are in the market for an offensive coordinator, which — like the third preseason game or the Pro Bowl — would be exciting if not for the small issue that actually, no, it’s not. Hiring an offensive coordinator is basically a round of Deadspin’s Let’s Remember Some Guys bit, except that Guy gets paid at the end. So let’s remember some guys and maybe one of them will be the Bears’ coordinator next season:
Pat Shurmur
Like new offensive line coach Juan Castillo, Shurmur and Matt Nagy go back to their days with the Eagles – Shurmur was Philadelphia’s QB coach while Nagy was a coaching intern in 2008. After a three-year run through Cleveland and St. Louis, Shurmur rejoined the Eagles as Chip Kelly’s offensive coordinator in 2013 after Andy Reid, and Nagy, left for Kansas City. Most recently, he was fired after two seasons as the head coach of the Giants, who started rookie QB Daniel Jones for 13 games in 2019. Things went poorly: New York finished the season 18th in points scored and 23rd in offensive DVOA, though Jones threw for 24 touchdowns (14th-best) despite missing three games.
Marty Mornhinweg
If you couldn’t tell, Nagy’s got a type. Mornhinweg ALSO was in Philadelphia, as an offensive coordinator & assistant head coach, during Nagy’s tenure there. He’s been coaching since 1985, and has experience with essentially every skill position on the field. He did go 5-27 over two seasons as the head coach of the Lions, but Mornhinweg’s also an Arena Bowl Champion, so congrats to Marty on that. Most recently, he was the offensive coordinator behind a 2018 Baltimore offense that finished the season first in rushing attempts, second in rushing yards, and third in rushing touchdowns. Like I said, Nagy’s clearly got a type.
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Dave Ragone
Ragone is one of 150 people on the Bears’ payroll whose sole purpose is making sure Mitch Trubisky is having a nice day, so might as well promote him at this point. He’s been the Bears’ QB coach since 2016 and was even linked to an OC job in Tennessee last offseason, which surely earned his agent some sort of bonus. Here’s how the Bears’ passing game has finished in the years he’s since he joined:
2016: 14th in Yards, 24th in TDs
2017: 32nd in Yards, 31st in TDs
2018: 21st in Yards, 14th in TDs
2019: 25th in Yards, 25th in TDs
That obviously doesn’t tell the whole story, which is probably exactly what Ryan Pace is writing 1000 times on a chalkboard somewhere in Halas Hall. The Bears are fond of Ragone, and he’s not going to be a QB coach forever. If he’s truly seen as one of the core members of Nagy’s coaching staff, perhaps it’s time to show him that.
Mike Kafka?
Perhaps the ultimate Guy worth Remembering on this list. Here's what Nagy had to say about Kafka, who's from Chicago and was an offfensive quality control coach during Nagy's time in Kansas City.
NFL
"Mike did a great job," Nagy said in reference to his time coaching Chiefs' QB Pat Mahomes. "At that point in time, when I was the quarterbacks coach/coordinator, you're really focusing during the season on Alex [Smith] and making sure that your starters are good to go and giving attention there. That's where having a guy like Mike Kafka that has played in the system in Philadelphia, that was drafted with Coach [Reid] in Philadelphia, you're able to take a guy that is growing as a coach and have him help out behind the scenes a guy like Patrick."
Another Philly guy! Let's just hire everyone who was on that 2010 staff and run it back. Wild Card exit here we come!
NO ONE
OoOoOoOo. Spooky. This idea was first floated past me by NBC Sports producer Eric Strobel and I have not been able to think about anything since. Think about it: Nagy has his Bill O’Reilly moment and, as a deviously wry smile creeps over his face, decides that he doesn’t need any damn coordination. If you want something done well, do it yourself. How Belichickian! Nagy 303 doesn’t have an attendance policy, but you’ll be expected to complete the assigned reading on your own and have thoughts prepared for the seminar next week.